Kick Start: Dangerous Ground 5 by Josh Lanyon Read Free Book Online Page A

finality. “Taylor, son, you don’t have to stand on ceremony. Have some more chili.”
     
     
    “Here you go.” Will tossed the plastic bottle of Tums to Taylor, who was already in bed and looking very much at home. Taylor popped the lid and shook two tablets out. He grimaced, chewed the orange tablets, and set the bottle on the bedside table.
    “What do you think of Cousin Dennis?” he asked.
    It was nearly midnight and everyone had retired for the evening. In fact, Grant had turned in not long after dinner, claiming he wanted to get an early start fishing the next morning. It was disappointing that Grant was being such an ass, but Will was hopeful once he’d had a little time to think things through, he’d come around.
    Or maybe he wouldn’t.
    Painful to think, but it was possible.
    Will shrugged. “Seems harmless enough. Hopefully the marshals will yank him out of here tomorrow.” He opened the cedar chest at the foot of the bed and pulled out a heavy wool Indian print blanket. The blanket smelled of camphor and wood and something he couldn’t quite place but that reminded him of his boyhood. Liniment? His first aftershave?
    “He’s no wise guy, but he’s no innocent bystander either,” Taylor commented.
    “He’s also not our problem.” Will shook out the red zigzagged folds and let the blanket drift down and settle over the bed. “You warm enough?”
    “Sure.”
    “You want a pair of wool socks?”
    “Nah.”
    “It gets cold in this house at night.” Will pulled an extra pair of socks out of his suitcase and dangled them enticingly. “Pop doesn’t run the heater.”
    “Thanks, but they make my feet sweat.”
    Will went around to the side of the bed, pulled the blankets back and slid between the blue flannel sheets. “My, this is cozy.”
    Taylor laughed. At home they shared a king-sized bed, so this was definitely a tighter fit. “If I wasn’t your boyfriend before, I would be now.”
    Will snorted. He reached over and turned off the lamp.
    The darkness was instant and all encompassing. For a few moments they lay quietly, simply absorbing the depth and silence of night in the forest.
    “That is one beautiful moon,” Taylor remarked as the window slowly filled with bright silver light.
    “Yeah. Nice.” Will turned his head on the pillow, trying to make out Taylor’s features in the uncertain light. “So what do you mean you’re not going fishing tomorrow? I thought that was the plan. You love fishing.”
    “I do, yeah. But I don’t want to break Grant’s heart.”
    Will said tersely, “Grant is going to have to adjust.”
    “Sure. And tomorrow you can break that news to him.” Taylor yawned, wiggled his jaw. “Anyway, there’s plenty of time for you and me to go fishing, right?”
    “Yep. What are you going to do then?”
    “I’ll find something to keep me busy.”
    “Don’t wander off into the woods.”
    Taylor spluttered. “Right, because going for a long hike by myself in the woods is the first thing I’d think of to amuse myself.”
    “I know, but you can’t do the other thing all day. You’ll go blind.”
    Taylor started to laugh.
    Will’s feet brushed Taylor’s and he jumped. “Christ, MacAllister. Your feet are like popsicles!”
    “You’ll take care of that.”
    Will did his best, folding Taylor’s feet between his own and rubbing them.
    Taylor, who was extremely ticklish, gave a little gasp. Actually, it was kind of a squeak. Almost a squeal.
    “That was manly,” Will muttered, trying not to laugh.
    Taylor started to respond, but there was a heavy thump against the wall, as though someone had kicked it or thrown a boot at it.
    “Are you kidding me?” Taylor lunged up and whumped the wall back, hard. Will winced, but Taylor was in the right. Grant was pushing his luck.
    Taylor flopped back and gave that little irritated huff he made when he was nervous or worried.
    “Hey.” Will wrapped his arm around Taylor’s bony shoulders and tugged him still